How Accessible Is Finding Shelter For The Night In Beacon? Alexis Rosa Explores Homeless Access In Beacon

Editor’s Note: After FEMA was in Beacon to register people for federal assistance at the Veterans Memorial Building after a hurricane caused damage to some homes, a representative with FEMA who lived out of state asked ALBB where homeless people can go in Beacon. They were approached by a person who needed homeless services, and did not know where to go. This is not the first time ALBB has been approached with this question by people in immediate need, who do not have time to research and apply for programs to maybe be approved, if they even finish or attain an application.

We asked our new writer, Alexis Rosa, a recent graduate from Beacon High School to investigate this process. Alexis set out to find out what it was like to need homeless services right now - tonight - in Beacon.

By Alexis Rosa

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the U.S. census reported that at one point in time in 2020 there were 17 homeless people per 10,000 residents. A decrease from the previous years, but any amount more than 0 is too high. In this article, I will explore where someone in Beacon can go if they are going to be homeless that night. But homelessness doesn’t happen without life situations, sometimes contributed by mental illness. Therefore, I explore both mental illness support and home shelters available, and how to access them.

How Dutchess County Handles Mental Health From An Accessibility Perspective

Dutchess County has a mental health problem. To be clear, I am not referring to the amount of people with mental health issues in Dutchess County. I am referring to how we deal with people with mental health issues.

“I think that housing should be considered as infrastructure, meaning that communities should think of housing as a basic need that has to be adequately met in order to have a healthy and productive community”

— Javier Gomez, Hudson River Housing

Most people agree that there is a homelessness crisis, very few people want the solution to be in their backyard.

The fact of the matter is that anyone could find themselves in an emergency situation like this. A dangerous amount of people are one paycheck away from being on the streets. When you find yourself in this situation, what do you do? How easy are these resources to access, really?

Dutchess County has a 24/7 Crisis Hotline listed as being available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year—even on holidays. They offer calling or texting at 845-485-9700 with professional crisis counselors. Knowing how useful and important having the option to text a crisis hotline can be, I was eager to try it out for myself.

Calling Dutchess County’s Hotline

Editor’s Note: We wanted to experience Dutchess County’s Crisis Hotline ourselves, not through them giving a media publication information, as that would be done in a more perfect, optimistic way. We wanted the real experience. We asked Alexis to find out.

I reached out to them through their texting service to see how they might help someone in a crisis situation. I wanted to see about the quality of assistance they offer.

It took a moment, but after the initial text I sent, I was met with the standard chatbot letting me know about messaging rates, and telling me to reply with “Yes” to consent to continued texts. Not even a minute after the bot responses, a counselor was made available to help me, and joined the session.

Counselor: Hi. How can I help you?

Me: I’m going to be homeless tonight and I’m not sure where to go. I was hoping someone might be able to point me in the right direction?

Counselor: I am sorry to hear that. Are you in Dutchess County?

Me: Yes, in Beacon

Counselor: Do you have transportation?

Me: No, I might be able to take the bus though

Counselor: Ok. Have you ever been in any housing in this county before?

Me: No

Counselor: I mean applied for housing OR been to Hudson River Housing in POK?

Counselor: Ok

Me: No, I’m on my own for the first time

Counselor: How old are you if you don’t mind?

Me: 21

Counselor: Ok, so here are some numbers. You can also go to the stabilization center at 230 North Road, Poughkeepsie. They are open 24/7. It is NOT a hospital. They have licensed social workers and mental health counselors who can help you navigate housing. I STRONGLY recommend that you go there ASAP so they have the ability to make calls and help you.

Counselor: Hudson River Housing 845-473-5166

Counselor: Rose House 845-452-2728

Counselor: Alliance House 845-452-5015

Counselor: The PODS (emergency housing) is the same as Hudson river housing.

Counselor: Porchlight Program 845-337-4407

Counselor: Are you safe in this moment?

Me: Yeah I’m safe for now. Is there something I can do if I don’t have money for the bus?

Counselor: IF you have medicaid, you can possible get medicaid transportation

Counselor: Can anyone bring you to Poughkeepsie?

Me: I’m trying to ask around to see if someone can, but I’m not certain right now. How does the medicaid transportation work? Is there a number I can call?

Counselor: Ok I am going to give you the number to stabilization so you can arrange this with them. 845-486-2849. Call them now, so you can make sure you get all the information you need.

After providing me with all the information they could offer me, based on the questions I asked and the answers I gave them, the chat was closed, but only after I gave my okay for the counselor to end the session.

In the short duration of our chat, I learned about multiple places that would offer me assistance, and an alternate form of transportation. Ultimately, I was satisfied with the level of assistance. But considering I wasn’t actually in dire need of these services, and for the sake of this article, I couldn’t just stop there. I reached out via email to multiple companies and organizations all with the same goal of helping people in need find emergency shelter and housing.

Exploring Rose House

Rose House is another organization with a similar goal of assisting those who need housing in the Hudson Valley. They have multiple short term shelters across New York that are available to those in need 24/7, all year round. What’s unique about Rose House is that they are listed as being “peer-operated”, completely run by people who have been in similar situations and wish to give back. I had some trouble finding their website initially, but once I did, I learned that their shelters are available to any one 18 years of age or older living in Dutchess, Orange, Ulster, Putnam, Warren, and Washington Counties. There is a screening process for these facilities. Once you become a registered guest at the Rose House, they offer up to a 5 day stay, and assistance with developing skills to better care for and maintain one's mental wellness. The programs they offer are voluntary, and residents can come and go as they please.

Exploring Alliance House

Alliance House is a non-profit organization that was founded in 1987. They follow a “clubhouse model” and that makes anyone who uses their services members, not clients. “To have Membership in an organization means to belong, to fit in somewhere, and to have a place where you are always welcome. For a person living with the effects of mental illness, these simple things cannot be taken for granted. In fact, the reality for most people with mental illness is that they have a constant sense of not fitting in, of isolation, and rejection,” as said by Joel Corcoran, the executive director for Clubhouse International.

Alliance House owns two properties that are exclusively for members. In order to become a member you must be over 18, have a diagnosed mental illness, and not be a safety concern. Your diagnosis has to be an Axis 1 diagnosis, and you need a referral made by a medical professional in which a mental health evaluation and treatment plan must be included. This process of becoming a member is not the easiest by any means, especially considering the waiting period for something as basic as setting up an appointment with a medical professional today. Using this as a solution requires a lot of time.

Exploring Hudson River Housing

Hudson River Housing is a company that prides itself on its life and community improving services. To take a quote from their website, they “create pathways out of homelessness through empowerment, education, and advocacy.” In the economy we are living in today, organizations that are dedicated to preserving affordable housing and ultimately helping to build, and maintain strong communities are becoming more and more of a necessity.

Grassroot organizations are popping up all over with this mission in mind, but companies like Hudson River Housing have been around for a time. What started as a task force quickly evolved. In 1982, Hudson River Housing was officially founded.

Hudson River Housing offers overnight emergency shelter all year round at 150 North Hamilton Street in Poughkeepsie. There is a curfew of 6:30 pm. Additional emergency shelters can be found at Webster House for anyone 18 years of age or older. There is a screening process, and guests are expected to meet with a “care manager” to discuss reasons for homelessness and set up a plan for permanent housing. Their website also lists emergency housing for families as well as for runaways or otherwise homeless children and teenagers.

Project Porchlight is a drop in shelter that is listed on the Hudson River Housing website. What that means is, during their hours of operation between 8:30 am to 4:30 pm, Monday through Friday, anyone is welcome. You’ll receive a place to sleep, food, basic supplies, access to showers, and assistance from care managers.

Alexis Interviews Hudson River Housing

I was able to interview Javier Gomez, the Director of Community Development at Hudson River Housing. He was able to answer a lot of questions for me that I was unable to find the answers to on the HRH website, answers to questions that I feel to be important when discussing housing and the resources we have available.

Javier is a Hudson Valley native, and has been a resident of the Hudson Valley since 2002 where he grew up in both Beacon and Wappingers.

As the Director of Community Development, Javier has a wide range of responsibilities that he oversees. Some of those responsibilities include community engagement activities, neighborhood revitalization and community programs, advocacy, partnerships, and impact measurement.

On the topic of the housing crisis being a human rights issue, Javier said that HRH does believe housing to be a human right. It is the vision of HRH for all communities to have sufficient affordable housing for its residents. Everyone should have the opportunity to live in safe, affordable housing that meets their needs regardless of income, family makeup, race or ethnicity, gender, physical or mental health, or any other defining factors.

“To go a little bit further, I think that housing should be considered as infrastructure, meaning that communities should think of housing as a basic need that has to be adequately met in order to have a healthy and productive community,” Javier added.

Javier explained to me that Hudson River Housing is the largest non-profit developer of affordable housing in Dutchess County. They primarily work out of Poughkeepsie, but they do have some reach over in other parts of the Hudson Valley. Hudson River Housing develops and operates a variety of housing and services to meet the diverse housing needs of the people that call the Hudson Valley home. These services range from the aforementioned emergency overnight services to transitional, supportive, and permanent rental housing, as well as homes for first time homebuyers.

In addition to developing and operating affordable housing, HRH also provides other services for people experiencing homelessness or any other housing needs, such as life skills-based care management, job training, homebuyer education. HRH also offers specialized services and housing for youth, elders and veterans, specialized small business support, outreach and neighborhood revitalization programs, and landlord and renter assistance.

I asked Javier what the process of working with Hudson River Housing might look like for someone seeking affordable housing. He explained that people access their housing through a variety of ways. Hudson River Housing has community partners all over the Hudson Valley that provide referrals to people seeking housing, such as the Dutchess County Department of Community and Family Services and other social service offices.

For permanent rental housing, there are applications online and in-person, and people will become notified when a unit that meets their needs becomes available. I asked Javier how long it would take to be notified, and he went on to explain that it can be up to a month before you hear anything so HRH encourages people to apply before they find themselves in an emergency situation. They work their way through the wait-list and Javier assured me that nobody gets skipped.

“HRH acknowledges that there is an unmet need for affordable housing in communities throughout the Hudson Valley. ”

— Alexis Rosa, when interviewing Javier Gomez, Hudson River Housing

Since HRH’s establishment in 1982, they have developed over 1,400 housing units and currently co-own or manage over 1,300 affordable housing units across 8 towns and municipalities throughout the Hudson Valley. In 2022, HRH was able to provide emergency shelter and services to 995 adults and 325 youth or young adults. They’ve also offered 91 households their support in moving from emergency housing to permanent housing, and helped 40 households with home buying.

I asked Javier what difficulties HRH faces while trying to get this help to people who need it. He acknowledged that HRH’s most notable challenge is that their emergency and supportive housing is primarily located in the City and Town of Poughkeepsie.

“We’re seeing a rise of people experiencing homelessness throughout Dutchess County and the Hudson Valley, but most of our resources to address homelessness are concentrated in Poughkeepsie. We get calls from towns throughout the region to provide outreach to people who are homeless and, like many of us, these folks have ties to a community that make it difficult for them to leave the town where they live in and uproot to another place where they would need to rebuild their life. If we could create more opportunities for people to enter into housing and get services where they are already, that would go a long way to getting people the help they need to get off of the street.”

Javier noted that people come to them as a last resort whether it be emergency housing, rental assistance, foreclosure prevention counseling, or because they’re about to lose their apartment.

“I think we do a great job at getting people connected to the help they need now to address the housing issue they are going through no matter what it is, and we also strive to get people connected to resources and opportunities that will make it less likely for them to be in this situation again.”

HRH manages their own properties, but they offer property management services to property owners of affordable housing as well. HRH operates similarly to any other property management company; they communicate with tenants, collect rent, maintain properties, and manage leases. What sets them apart, aside from being a nonprofit and all the resources they offer, is that they’re familiar with a broad range of state, local, and federal affordable housing compliance regulations. This knowledge allows them to be able to ensure that properties remain in compliance with those regulations as a part of their service.

Javier had some amazing things to say about the people affected by this crisis and how communities tackle the situation too!

“Homelessness and housing insecurity is caused by a variety of individual and societal factors, and I find that people who don’t work directly in housing will sometimes approach the issue by thinking about how to prevent the circumstances and decisions that may have led to someone becoming homeless or housing insecure. I don't want to take anything away from that because addressing the cause is absolutely important, and HRH is doing that work too, but to offer another perspective preventing housing insecurity is only part of the solution and it is also really important to concern ourselves with the immediate needs of people experiencing housing insecurity, and invest in the resources that help people.”

I asked Javier if he was satisfied with the work that his organization does, and whether or not there was more that they could be doing. He expressed that he thinks HRH is doing a great job with the resources they have, but that HRH acknowledges that there is an unmet need for affordable housing in communities throughout the Hudson Valley.

HRH welcomes any opportunity to form relationships with any communities interested in creating more housing for their residents. If anyone is interested in helping HRH, they do accept donations in the form of financial contributions as well as supplies for their housing. HRH also does work with individuals, companies, and organizations to host fundraisers, as well as an Adopt-a-Night program where people can volunteer to prepare or donate a meal for their housing.

Becoming more engaged in the public approval process for housing in your towns or cities is another great way people can get involved and help. Speak with your local elected officials, talk about why affordable housing matters.

“It’s true that there is a housing crisis across the country, but the decisions about what kind of housing gets built and where takes place at the local level and it's important to be informed about what is going on here in our community and not just what can be done at the national level.”

The other organizations, Rose House and Alliance House, never reached back to me about answering any questions unfortunately, but their websites offered a fair amount of insight. In my quest to find out if the process was easy or hard, I didn’t really get my answer. But, it indicates the answer of accessibility being a long road.

Immediate Shelter Need In An Emergency Situation

For someone needing immediate shelter in an emergency situation, Hudson River housing offered the most accessible solutions. Transportation is another thing entirely. The counselor I spoke to over the hotline did detail that if you have Medicaid, you could possibly get medicaid transportation, but that doesn’t offer a solution for someone who doesn’t have Medicaid.

A bus ride up to Poughkeepsie is $1.75 one way. Poughkeepsie residents do get to ride for free when they’re under the age of 20, however, and there are discounted prices for the elderly, children, and students.

Depending on which bus driver you get, most of them will let you ride on just one payment, but on the weekends there is one bus driver who requires you pay twice if you get on at the wrong bus stop (depending on which way you’re going). $1.75 might not seem like much in the grand scheme of things, but in an emergency situation it can be a lot harder to make that money than one would think.

Alexis’ Conclusion

“Beacon is a bustling tourist spot now, but what about the people with strong roots here? How are they doing? We as citizens need to be sure we’re asking the right questions to the right people.”

— Alexis Rosa

It’s apparent to me that we as a community need to be more willing to have these life-saving resources more readily available. Housing is, and should be considered, a human right and the property values of our homes are not worth more than the life of a human. You can tell a great deal about whether or not a town or city is thriving based on how they treat their residents who are struggling financially or mentally. Beacon is a bustling tourist spot now, but what about the people with strong roots here? How are they doing? We as citizens need to be sure we’re asking the right questions to the right people.

For new residents who don't know, certain parts of Beacon used to be considered dangerous. Even today a lot of the apartment complexes and certain areas in Beacon still carry that stigma of being dangerous or undesirable to be in. With the cost of living in Beacon continuing to rise, we will continue to see an uptick in crime. Whether or not it will match those levels previously held is uncertain, but what we do know is that when people’s needs go unmet, crime rises.

While I may not have found the answer to the question of whether or not all of these resources are easily accessible, I did learn a lot about resources we have here in the Hudson Valley that I was not previously aware of. As we know, any knowledge is good knowledge. Knowledge is power.

More information on these organizations can be found on their websites and by calling the numbers provided in this article.

Beacon Volunteer Ambulance Corps. Awarded $47K For Rescue UTV For Mountanous Terrain and Large Events

The Beacon Volunteer Ambulance Corps, Inc. (BVAC) has been awarded $47,000 from Dutchess County’s Municipal Investment Grant (MIG) Program, as was announced today. Said Said Nick Scarchilli, Chief of Operations: "BVAC will use the investment to locate, treat and transport lost and/or injured hikers along the Hudson Highlands and Mount Beacon trails, as well as at large-scale public events, which will help to expedite response times for emergency medical calls.”

Photo Credit: Deborah Cortes, EMT-B, for Beacon Volunteer Ambulance Corps.

BVAC will purchase a utility terrain vehicle (UTV) and accessories for mountain rescue operations and large-scale community events. Deborah Cortes, EMT-B and head of Public Relations for BVAC told A Little Beacon Blog: “It is the intention that we will purchase the unit as soon as possible. The UTV is a resourceful unit to assist in the extraction of injured hikers off of Mount Beacon by allowing our crews to safety navigate through the rough terrain of the mountain. Future plans include continuing to respond to mountain calls, standbys, and training personnel for efficient operations.”

BVAC has had to make rescues on Mount Beacon before, like the one pictured here in 2019. Deborah Cortes, EMT-B for BVAC remembers the scene like this: “This rescue started in the dark hours of the evening, ending in the early morning hours. We do go up in the daytime and continue to train but, we need better. ESPECIALLY when we go up the mountains this late at night lasting hours long.”

At that time, BVAC described the situation as this: “At around 20:40 p.m last night The Beacon Volunteer Ambulance Corps and Mobile Life Ambulance was dispatched to a call on Mt. Beacon for a lost and injured hiker experiencing shortness of breath. The BVAC ATV rode up with 2 BVAC EMT's, Mobile life paramedic and NYS Park Police as far as possible near the fire tower. 1 crew member remained with the polaris while the rest of the crew departed on foot to meet up with lost & injured. The hikers were safely brought down to an awaiting ambulance on the bottom of the mountain where the injured was reassessed. All equipment was back in service shortly before midnight. ** BVAC EMT's & Mobile Life Medic were in touch with the hikers via cell phone the whole time while attempting to make contact closely monitoring the injured hikers condition.”

Antony Tseng, Program Director with BVAC, recalls these situations where the UTV was needed:

• We have deployed the UTV for a search of a patient at University Settlement where there was no access road for vehicles.

• During one of the ice storms, where we could not climb up a sloped driveway, we were able to use the UTV gain access to the patient.

• We used the UTV to support the marathon on the Walkway Over The Hudson (Poughkeepsie) in 2015.

• We helped bring up tools to the Mt. Beacon Fire Tower with the UTV when it was being restored before its grand reopening in 2013.

BVAC is its own entity. The City of Beacon only started funding it in recent years, after the City Of Beacon hired a for-profit ambulance service to service the city. During that time, BVAC advocated very vocally to Beacon’s City Council and City Administrator Chris White for funding after years of volunteering to serve the city and making their own investments through fundraisers.

Donate to the Beacon Volunteer Ambulance Corps. at any time by clicking here. According to their website: “BVAC is the only volunteer ambulance service operating in Dutchess County. Seven BVAC employees and 35 volunteers respond to approximately 247 calls per month. BVAC depends on fundraisers and contributions of any size at any time. BVAC is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization and all contributions are tax deductible.”

Dutchess County's Transportation Council Launches the "Resilient Ways Forward" Study to Assess & Plan for Resilient Transportation as the Climate Changes

###From the Press Release of Dutchess County’s Mark Debald, Transportation Program Administrator###

Public Input Sought at June 21st Meeting, Online Survey

Poughkeepsie—On June 12, 2023, the Dutchess County Transportation Council (DCTC) announced the launch of Resilient Ways Forward, an assessment of climate change and its impact on transportation in Dutchess County.

Resilient Ways Forward will identify where Dutchess County’s transportation system is most vulnerable to weather impacts, such as flooding, extreme temperatures, snow and ice, and wind. The assessment will also recommend ways to adapt to or reduce the adverse impacts of these events on the transportation system – which includes roads and bridges, buses and trains, sidewalks, rail trails, and other strategic transportation assets. These impacts extend to state, regional, county, and local agencies alike.

Resilient Ways Forward begins with an analysis of climate data to better understand how the climate is changing in Dutchess County, following three steps:

Data collection

• Gathering climate and transportation data

• Assessing future climate scenarios

Analysis

• Understanding the risks of climate hazards for transportation assets at the system level

• Identifying priority locations for adaption investments at the asset level

Recommendations

• Developing a toolbox of adaption options, including design guidelines

• Recommending policy-based actions

• Implementing and monitoring the recommendations

The DCTC encourages the public to visit the website at www.ResilientWaysForward.com to learn more and provide input through the on-line interactive Map Survey about where extreme weather events have affected their ability to get around Dutchess County.

A virtual public meeting will take place on Wednesday, June 21st at noon. This meeting is an opportunity for the public to learn about Resilient Ways Forward and provide feedback about where the transportation system is vulnerable to extreme weather events. Registration is required: https://bit.ly/RWFVirtualMtg. Feedback gathered from the public meeting will help inform the project team as they develop a toolbox of prioritized adaptation strategies to reduce the transportation system’s climate vulnerability.

Resilient Ways Forward is one of several planning initiatives underway by Dutchess County to better understand and address current and future environmental issues in the county. Though focused on the impacts of extreme weather on the transportation system, the data and analysis done for Resilient Ways Forward will also support the development of the County’s Natural Resource Inventory, as well as Hazard Mitigation Plan, which are also underway.

DCTC Transportation Program Administrator Mark Debald said, “Our goal is to create a more resilient transportation system that minimizes disruptions and better prepares us to meet the uncertainties of a changing climate. Resilient Ways Forward will provide decision-makers and agencies with the needed information to help prioritize how and where we can build resiliency – both countywide and pinpointed more locally, depending on specific need.”

About The Dutchess County Transportation Council (DCTC)

The Dutchess County Transportation Council (DCTC) serves as the designated Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) for Dutchess County. Federal statutes require that urbanized areas with over 50,000 people be represented by an MPO. The main duty of an MPO is to ensure that federal transportation funds are committed through a locally driven, comprehensive planning process. Since 1982, the DCTC have provided a forum for state and local government to solve transportation issues and reach consensus on federally supported transportation plans and projects in Dutchess County and across the Mid-Hudson Valley.

World Watches Tyler Adams Answer Tough But Honest Question In Qatar World Cup

In the months between Dutchess County sending out a simple press release featuring the leadership of Wappinger’s Fall’s own Tyler Adams as captain of the USA soccer team in the FIFA World Cup in Qatar this year (2022), the world was watching as he answered a tough question about discrimination against Black Americans by America, and a pronunciation correction of Iran from an Iranian reporter before the USA vs Iran match on November 29, 2022.

While many in Beacon were just hearing about this person named Tyler who is from Wappingers Falls and in the World Cup, suddenly he was on CNN and other media outlets regarding the tough question scenario.

The situation presented an opportunity for Tyler to talk about his own experience growing up with a mixed-race heritage, as well as his living in different countries because of soccer, and his awareness of how he navigated through living abroad and state-side (this might be known as codeswitching, but Tyler did not use that word).

Local articles here in Dutchess County have not typically addressed his mixed-race experience, but this global media situation presented a new opportunity to include it.

CNN, Yahoo Life and other American media outlets picked up on the press conference prior to the match, and in defense of and praise for Tyler, peppered it with negative light on the Iranian reporter. Tyler, however, graciously answered the statement and question with honesty and respect for the reporter.

The linguistic observation made by the reporter was cited so that a global audience could hear the correct pronunciation, followed by a discomfortable question.

Global events are platforms for dialogue to begin. This article explores this issue.

Who Is Tyler Adams?

Tyler Adams during the press conference before the USA vs Iran match.

Tyler Adams is currently 23 years old and plays professional soccer for the Premier League Club, Leeds United, and is the captain for the United States national team, who played in the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.

At age 16, his first professional signing happened with the New York Red Bulls II, a United Soccer League Team owned and operated by Major League Soccer. Said Tyler to the Poughkeepsie Journal back in 2015 when he was signed: “They host these mini-camp type things," Adams said of the Red Bull’s Regional Development School. "They noticed me there. It's what started this all. I think it benefited me because it's a lot more competitive."

You can see the opportunity for summer soccer camp with the Red Bulls in ALBB’s Summer Camp Guide.

As reported by the Poughkeepsie Journal, Tyler was attending Roy C. Ketcham High School in the Wappingers Falls school district when he signed. According to USASoccer.com, Tyler was raised by his mother, Melissa Russo, where he “grew up in a single-parent household before she reconnected with old high school classmate and now step-dad, Darryl Sullivan.”

According to the Poughkeepsie Journal, Tyler’s step-dad Darryl was at the time of Tyler’s 2015 signing “a Social Studies teacher at Roy C. Ketcham, who won two state titles coaching the John Jay girls team and is the director of soccer operations for the Marist College men's soccer team.”

Said his mother, Melissa Russo, to the newspaper upon his signing: "There was a point as a parent where you tell him it may not be realistic. But never did he say he wanted to do anything else. Maybe an architect, once or twice. As a parent, this is awesome. You just pray your kid ends up doing something they love."

To complete Tyler’s education while he advanced toward professional soccer, he ended up doing what most parents now know of as Remote Learning, by completing most of his homework and classwork online. He told the Poughkeepsie Journal: “I'm missing the social aspect, which is hard for any kid my age. But then again, I have the opportunity to play pro soccer. That doesn't come around every day."

Turns out, Tyler nurtured his social side while playing soccer, as explored in this ESPN article, where Tyler discussed, as a 23 year old, how he enjoys relating to other people no matter their relationship to him, which is part of why he has been such an effective captain during the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

As observed in the ESPN article: “Some might call it charisma, others would term it leadership or emotional intelligence, but the sense is that ‘it’ goes deeper than any of that. There is an aura about Adams that conveys he'll not only do his job, but relieve you of some of the pressure to do yours. These days, that can mean covering for a teammate on the field or deftly handling some spicy news conference questions off it.”

What Happened At The News Conference Before The USA vs Iran Match?

An Iranian reporter corrected Tyler in his pronunciation of Iran, stating that if he was going to voice support for Iran, he might as well get the pronunciation right. This was followed by a question about discrimination toward Black people in America. As of this reporting, ALBB cannot find the name of the reporter, who may or may not have been affiliated with Iranian government sanctioned state media.

According to an article at CNN, Iranian state media was upset with the United States Soccer Federation. American media seems not to have reported the Iranian reporter’s name or media outlet, that ALBB can find so far. That would be helpful and relevant to the context and tone of the question.

To add more context, the 2022 World Cup as a global platform has been used to amplify many issues, including the current violent protests going on in Iran against the regime that came to power in 1979. These protests have been carried out in defense and protection of women in Iran after Mahsa Amini, age 22 and Kurdish, which is a minority in Iran, died in police custody. The protests are against oppression that many citizens of Iran feel under the current leadership, which has been abusing and misusing a religion - Islam - in the name of squeezing power.

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In response, the United States Soccer Federation changed Iran’s flag on its social media platforms to show support for protesters in Iran, according to a report from CNN. "Iranian state media called for the US to be kicked out of the 2022 World Cup after the United States Soccer Federation changed Iran’s flag on its social media platforms to show support for protesters in Iran." According to the article which showed a screenshot of the temporary switch, the United States Soccer Federation started displaying Iran’s national flag on its official Twitter, Instagram and Facebook accounts without the emblem of the Islamic Republic in the middle of the flag. The flag version with the emblem is currently being displayed on the soccer federation’s website.

Reporter’s Statement:
In response to one of Tyler’s earlier answers to a question:

"First of all, you say you support the Iranian people, but you're pronouncing our country's name wrong. Our country is named Iran (ee-RAHN), not Iran (EYE-ran). Please once and for all, let's get this clear."

Reporter’s Question:

"Second of all, are you OK to be representing a country that has so much discrimination against Black people in its own borders? We saw the Black Lives Matter movement over the past few years. Are you OK to be representing the US while there is so much discrimination against Black people in America?"

Tyler’s Answer:

“My apologies on the mispronunciation of your country. That being said, there’s discrimination everywhere you go.” Tyler stated.

“One thing that I’ve learned, especially from living abroad in the past years and having to fit in in different cultures and kind of assimilate into different cultures, is that in the US, we’re continuing to make progress every single day.

“Growing up for me, I grew up in a White family, and with obviously an African-American heritage and background as well,” he pointed out.

“So, I had a little bit of different cultures, and I was very easily able to assimilate in different cultures. Not everyone has that ease and the ability to do that, and obviously, it takes longer to understand, and through education, I think it’s super important.” Tyler did not deny discrimination happening. Instead, he elected to describe a living experience for him.

“Like you just educated me now on the pronunciation of your country. So, yeah, it’s a process. I think as long as you see progress, that’s the most important thing.”

How Some American Media Twisted The Press Conference

As media coverage of any event or issue unfolds, it is important to be mindful of the headlines, descriptions, and adjectives used to describe a situation. Every single media outlet is biased because humans write, edit and ultimately publish the words. Scrubbing of opinion is nearly impossible, because simply choosing to cover a topic in an of itself reveals bias.

Coverage of Middle Eastern situations is especially important to be mindful of when reading or watching coverage.

Here is how American media negatively slanted the situation, negatively portraying the reporter, and positively portraying Tyler. Of course Tyler’s answer was impressive and refreshing, but the reporter need not be shamed into asking it, or correcting the pronunciation of Iran knowing his voice would be heard around the world, for everyone to hear and know how to correctly pronounce Iran.

• ”U.S. Soccer Team Captain Tyler Adams Is Poised When Shady Reporter Asks About Racism At Qatar World Cup” - Yahoo Life
  The adjective “shady” is unnecessary in a headline. Asking about racism is not shady. It’s discomfortable, and makes people defensive, but it’s honest. Was the question tit for tat, since the United States and the rest of the world is pressing on the Iranian regime to get rid of the morality police? Yes, the question was tit for tat. The question implied hypocrisy or sh*t not stinking. But that question opened dialogue.

• “USMNT's Tyler Adams Gracefully Hits Back at Iranian Reporter's Question About Racism in the U.S.” - People.com
  Tyler did not “hit back.” He answered the question. He apologized for the pronunciation, and acknowledged racism in America by safely stating that it happens everywhere. He furthered by saying if there is improvement, that is a good thing.

• Tyler Adams Blasts Iranian 'Reporter' For 'Black Discrimination ... - OutKick
  Never happened. There was no blasting. There was grace and acknowledgement.

Great reads and headlines:

• “What We Ask of Black American Athletes” - The Atlantic

• “USA's World Cup captain Tyler Adams showing the world his value on the pitch, inspirational leadership off it” - ESPN

• USMNT captain Tyler Adams graciously handled a question from an Iranian journalist about discrimination in the US - Insider

Mini-Soccer Fields (aka Pitches) Honoring USMNT Star Tyler Adams Unveiled In Poughkeepsie

Photo Credit: Dutchess County

Ahead of this year’s FIFA Men’s World Cup, 2 new mini-pitches were unveiled at Pulaski Park in the City of Poughkeepsie on October 12th at 3:30 p.m. The mini-pitches honor USMNT star soccer player Tyler Adams and were made possible thanks to his personal contribution and contributions from the U.S. Soccer Foundation, Target, the City of Poughkeepsie, and Dutchess County. 

Representatives from Tyler’s family, the U.S. Soccer Foundation, the City of Poughkeepsie, and Dutchess County hosted the ribbon cutting ceremony with a video message from Tyler Adams, followed by scrimmages on the pitches with youth from the Poughkeepsie City School District’s soccer teams. 

“Building two new mini-pitches in Pulaski Park is such a unique way to give back to the game and to the community where I first started,” said Tyler Adams. “Through these pitches, more children in Poughkeepsie can learn values that they will take with them well beyond their playing careers – the same values that I learned through my support system. Thanks to my family’s support and to all partners involved in this amazing process and creating an environment where kids can blossom.”

According to Dutchess County, this project builds on more than 100 mini-pitches the U.S. Soccer Foundation and Target have installed together since 2018 and marks the latest development in the U.S. Soccer Foundation’s It’s Everyone’s Game national movement to ensure children in underserved communities can enjoy the health and youth development benefits of the game. To date, the U.S. Soccer Foundation has installed more than 500 mini-pitches nationwide. The goal is to install 1,000 by 2026. 

City of Poughkeepsie Mayor Rob Rolison said, “We are pleased to see the opening of the mini-pitches, a collaborative project that went from concept to completion within a matter of months. We thank our partners the U.S. Soccer Foundation and Dutchess County for their financial and staff support to help see this project to fruition. The mini-pitches are part of a much broader, multimillion dollar initiative by the city to make upgrades to the park system, and it’s fulfilling to see these projects getting completed for our residents to enjoy.”

About The U.S. Soccer Foundation

The U.S. Soccer Foundation’s programs are the national model for sports-based youth development in underserved communities. Since its founding in 1994, the Foundation has established programs proven to help children embrace an active and healthy lifestyle while nurturing their personal growth beyond sports. Its cost-effective, high-impact initiatives offer safe environments where kids and communities thrive. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., the U.S. Soccer Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization. For more information, visit ussoccerfoundation.org or follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

Read the full press release at Dutchess County’s website for more details.

Orange County (Newburgh, etc.) Health Department Strongly Recommends Masks For All In Public Indoor Spaces

The Times Herald-Record has reported that Orange County issued a public health alert on Thursday, August 12th, 2021 that all residents should wear masks indoors when in public spaces, regardless of vaccination status. This, as Sullivan County announced the following day that masks were required to be worn inside of all County buildings. Dutchess County has not issued guidance thus far. ALBB has reached out to Dutchess County today for comment (Monday August 16, 2021) and will update this article if a response comes. Orange County is across the Hudson River from Beacon, and is home to Newburgh and many other communities.

Before issuing a mask requirement, Dr. Irina Gelman, DPM, MPH, PHDc, the Commissioner of Health for Orange County, said that she is waiting to see what if anything will be done at the state level, as Kathy Hochul moves to become governor on Aug. 24 after Andrew Cuomo's formal resignation.

According to the CDC, Orange County, Sullivan County, and Dutchess County are all in “high transmission” areas, which to the CDC means a rise in Active Cases. See the CDC’s tool here. Areas in “high transmission” areas are strongly recommended by the CDC to mask up indoors in public spaces regardless of vaccination status.

Beacon School District Releases Reopening Details; Presented By Superintendent Landahl

On August 12, 2021, Beacon City School District released reopening guidelines for the 2021/2022 school year, presented delivered by Superintendent Landahl. Overall, the district is following the New York Department of Health and the New York State Education Department’s guidance, who advised districts to follow the CDC school opening guidelines for the upcoming school year. Dr. Landahl opened his presentation with this observation: "New York has been an interesting state to do my profession in, as no one wants to seem to give any guidance."

“I’m a big believer in vaccines, and a huge believer in this one.”

— BCSD Superintendent Landahl

The overall goals for the 2021/2022 school year is for a full 5 days of in-person learning with safety measures put into place to keep schools open and students healthy during the ongoing pandemic. The number one item that Dr. Landahl asked of parents was for patience, as guidelines shift and realities of implementing guidelines with young people can be challenging.

District Practices For Reopening

The biggest change from last year is that the hybrid model will be discontinued. Dr. Landahl reiterated that every level of government that is issuing guidance has prioritized in-person learning, but to be prepared to shift into Remote if a school has an exposure, or if Contact Tracing will take too long to identify individual students or staff as an alternative to closing. For students with serious health compromises, Dutchess BOCES may be offering a program, Dr. Landahl said.

Kickoff Guidelines:

• 5 Days In-Person Instruction/Experience. The hybrid schedule will be discontinued. No cohort groups will be made (this was when students in a class were divided into 2 groups: blue and gold).

• Remote Learning will be available to all students, a school, or a classroom if there is a closure due to COVID-19.

• Masks indoors will be required for all individuals, students and staff, regardless of vaccination status. The policy will be reviewed throughout the school year. All of the governing bodies recommenced wearing a mask indoors, including Beacon’s District Physician.

• Masks are not required outdoors. When kids are outside for recess, lunch, etc. This guidance was released at the end of the 2020/2021 school year in the spring.

• Masks are required on buses and for indoor sports, but not for outdoor sports per the outdoor mask guideline.

• “Rugs are coming back!” to the elementary schools, Dr. Landahl confirmed.

• Distancing will be the CDC distancing requirement of 3 feet. When distancing is not feasible, layered prevention strategies will be implemented.

• Ventilation will be in all classrooms, which are outfitted with a portable HEPA filter and MERV-13 filter.

• Daily health screener (the online health form to fill out) will be continued.

• Cleaning protocols will be continued. Classrooms will be sanitized every night.

• Vaccination opportunities will be promoted. Most drug stores are now offering free vaccines.

• Positive Test Result of Child: If a whold class is out due to a positive test result with large exposure, then the whole class switches to Remote. If it is a single child pulled out resulting from Contact Tracing indicating a small or no exposure, the district is currently brainstorming this with the county. “We don’t have a Remote apparatus that a child can just slide into,” Dr. Landahl stated. He may have been referring to the Blue and Gold hybrid days, where Remote instruction was always in motion on any day for a different group.

BCSD Is Getting Guidance From New York State Governing Bodies

On advisement from the New York Department of Health and the New York State Education Department the BCSD will be following the CDC school opening guidelines for the upcoming school year. Dr. Landahl reiterated that the CDC “highly recommends a mask mandate in Dutchess County” based on community transmission, which currently is “High” and is climbing. To illustrate the spike, the number of active COVID-19 cases in June 2021 was 56 people. The number of people on August 12th, 2021 was near 700 (as of August 28, it was 878).

Masking is so important to be mandated, Dr. Landahl explained, because: “Proper masking allows us to reduce the number of staff and students who have to quarantine through contact tracing. If you are wearing a mask, you are mostly exempt from quarantining per CDC.”

Remote Learning

The current intent is full time 5 days, with preparations in place for if a school needs to be shut down for COVID-19 exposure. Last year, Contact Tracing was rigorously conducted within the district by district staff to advise affected persons to stay home, while the school could remain open.

“We are evaluating a program for remote learning at BOCES for students with a serious medical condition that prevents them from attending in-person education and creating a process that will identify those students,” Dr. Landahl said.

Vaccines In Beacon City School District

Vaccines are not mandatory for students or staff in the Beacon City School District. When asked why by a parent on the webinar Town Hall call, Dr. Landahl answered he was not aware that any district is able to require vaccinations, unless that directive comes from New York State. “All of our employees work under contracts, which have different bargaining units. If we were to go in that direction, directive would be coming from the state level.”

At this time, the percentage of teachers, staff, and students over the age of 11 who are vaccinated is unknown. BCSD was not in the habit of collecting it, as collecting it was not required by any governing body. However, Dr. Landahl is looking into ways to collect that data to make available to the public.

In terms of Dr. Landahl’s personal opinion on vaccinations, he was not shy to state it: "I'm a big believer in vaccines, and a huge believer in this one. Vaccines are working, please consider getting vaccinated!"

The district will work on holding vaccination clinics to increase the rate with students and will work with the local health department on education efforts for people who have questions. Dr. Landahl stated that he is interested in finding funding to assist with testing.

Ventilation In The Schools

The currently known transmission method of COVID-19 is primarily airborn, with less focus on surface transmission. Each classroom uses a MERV-13 filter in its air handler unit and has a portable HEPA filter. Nightly sanitation will continue.

Editor’s Note: not every classroom has an air conditioning unit, such as in South Avenue. Perhaps the pandemic or climate crisis can allocate funding for standing air conditioning units or mini-splits to help the children and teachers stay cool. Concentrating and staying hydrated is quite difficult in high temperatures.

Outdoor learning opportunities are at the schools, such as a math class on a sidewalk at South Avenue Elementary, and band class held outside at Rombout Middle School may continue. Lunches at schools were taken outside at times, weather permitted.

Health Screening In The District

While no longer recommended by New York State, Dr. Landahl said, the district will continue with using the daily health screener, which is an online form parents need to fill in an hour before school. It can make a parent extra mindfull that they are sending in a sick child when they click the box that says “sore throat” or “sneezing.” It is unclear at this time if submitting a sick screener triggers the need to get a COVID-19 test, which is burdensome on the parent for time and health insurance reasons, as tests are not free (unless you find a New York State facility), and can trigger an additional doctor appointment for a cold that would otherwise have been mild enough to forgo a doctor appointment.

The district is discontinuing the use of temperature screening before the school year. “Very few districts used it last year and there is a growing consensus that it is not an effective way to screen COVID-19,” Dr. Landahl stated. “It is not the best allocation of resources to identify [active cases of COVID-19]."

Distancing and Breakfast/Lunch

"Last year, distancing recommendations were a lot different,” Dr. Landahl said during the presentation. “That was our biggest reason for being in the hybrid model for as long as we were." Following these recommendations, he said, there was little transmission. “If [a situation] needs to be below 3 feet [of distancing], we will use other layered methods. Like filtration and staying home if you are sick.”

The CDC recommends 3 feet distancing in schools with mask wearing. This is an example of a layered approach to achieve more desirable circumstances.

As for eating breakfast and lunch, each school is preparing different lunch plans to make sure students can eat lunch and stay as distanced as possible, Dr. Landahl said. Plans include some outside eating, split lunch shifts, etc. Exact plans for this are still in development and will be developed in a school-by-school plan.

COVID-19 Testing In The District

COVID-19 testing is voluntary, and testing is recommended for staff and students as a further mitigation effort. “We are exploring different ways to accomplish this hopefully in partnership with Dutchess County,” Dr. Landahl stated, reiterating that he hoped for funding from Dutchess County.

Editor’s Note: As of August 24, 2021, Funding has since been introduced by the new Governor of New York, Kathy Hochul. COVID-19 testing is very burdensome for those with different health insurance requirements. Some health insurance companies require doctor's note (which requires an additional appointment). If COVID-19 testing is required for school, like to return to school from a sick health screen form, some health insurance companies like Blue Cross Blue Shield won't cover the test at all (which can range between $150 - $300), and defers coverage to the school district's health insurance.

Since Governor Hochul took office, new guidelines have been released, like a universal mask requirement being instituted at all schools by the Department of Health, as well as options to mandate vaccinations for school employees. Dr. Landahl will deliver an updated to this initial presentation on August 31st or September 1st.

Click here to access the slides to his August 12th presentation.

Click here to watch his August 12th presentation on YouTube.

9/11 Ceremonies in Beacon and Poughkeepsie For Dutchess County

In Beacon, the opportunity to gather to remember those lost on 9/11 during the 19th anniversary of September 11th, known as Patriot Day, will be held in Beacon on September 11, 2020 at 11am at Patriot Park, on the corner of Matteawan Rd. and Verplanck Ave.

Patriot Day was first observed in 2002 by proclamation by President George W. Bush. Traditionally, a moment of silence is held at 8:46am, which is when the first plane hit the a World Trade Center tower. It is important to remember that people of so many nationalities, including Muslim who worked in or near the towers, lost their lives, including first responders. It is also important to note that people who were first responders for that event may be having a difficult time prior, during, and after the day due to PTSD. Ask your friends how they are doing.

That number arrangement of the moment of silence is also known for the number of minutes and seconds, 8 minutes and 46 seconds, that George Floyd could not breath while held under the knee of and killed by suffocation by police officer Derek Chauvin.

From the City’s press release: “The City of Beacon and the City of Beacon Fire Department invite all to join us to commemorate the 19th Anniversary of September 11, 2001. Let us come together to honor, remember and reunite.”

PROGRAM
Welcome
Introduction of Elected Officials/Guests Prayer
God Bless America
Patriot Day Message
Taps

GUESTS
Fire Chief Gary Van Voorhis
Mayor Lee Kyriacou Deacon Marty
Joe Schuka
Patrick Kelliher
Michelle Murray-Poczobut

All COVID-19 protocols will be followed, please wear a mask and adhere to social distancing practices. In the event of rain, the ceremony will be held at Mase Hook and Ladder, 425 Main St. The City of Beacon would like to thank Libby’s Funeral Home for their generous donation of a wreath for this event.

Dutchess County Ceremony For 9/11 Remembrance

From Dutchess County’s Press Release: “As has been Dutchess County Court Judge Peter Forman’s custom since 2002, there will be a memorial service to remember the victims of September 11th held on the steps of the Dutchess County Family Court building, 50 Market Street, Poughkeepsie at 8:30am on Friday, September 11, 2020.

“County Court Judge Peter M. Forman, Senior Court Officer Bill Shelzi and United States Congressman Sean Patrick Maloney will offer brief remarks. The service will include a ceremonial lowering of the flag and a moment of silence to recall those who lost their lives on September 11, 2001.

“Dr. Edward Hunt, Pastor of Beth-El Missionary Baptist Church of Wappingers Falls, will lead attendees in prayer. An honor guard composed of officers of the Office of Court Administration will attend in recognition of their brethren who died during rescue efforts on September 11th. The public is welcome and invited to attend. Attendees are reminded to maintain proper physical distancing and wear face coverings for this event.”

5 New Job Positions In Public Health Available From Dutchess County

Dutchess County Department of Behavioral & Community Health (DBCH) has job openings for 5 Public Health Advisors, including a senior supervisory position, for up to 18 months. The positions are being funded by a grant of $917,000 awarded to Dutchess County from the New York State Department of Health to further build capacity for COVD-19 case investigation and contact tracing coordination. The grant funding will enable DBCH to hire Recruitment is now open and interested applicants can review job description and apply online at the County’s website at www.dutchessny.gov/jobs.

As the jobs are temporary, they do not require a Civil Service exam from the county. Additionally, there is not box to check for a criminal background check, as Dutchess County Executive Marc Molinaro participated in a “Ban The Box” movement years ago to remove that box from county job applications. This is often a hurdle for people with records - even for minor issues - to be considered for jobs.

Marc Molinaro said, “This grant enables us to bolster our public health team and ensure we can continue to deal with case investigation and contact tracing quickly to prevent spread. This is critically important as the reopening process continues, - particularly school reopenings - and greater interaction leads to case increases, we need to have the capacity to respond rapidly.”

About The Grant From New York State Department Of Health

The grant is intended to increase local health department staffing to conduct rapid and complete case investigations, including ensuing that once contacts are identified, they are reached within 48 hours and have access to testing. The additional staffing will also be available for daily monitoring of cases and contacts and ensure any social supports needs are being met and for effective isolation/quarantine.

DBCH Responsibilities Have Increased With Reopening Monitoring

The grant funding comes at a critical time as local health departments must take on an ever-increasing workload and the annual flu season approaches. Local health departments have seen their role greatly expanded beyond their normal areas of jurisdiction, particularly as the reopening process has continued.

For example, health departments were tasked with conducting gym inspections by the state as a requirement of reopening of gyms and fitness studios, though these businesses are not under the authority of local health departments. Locally, DBCH has been providing support and assistance to nursing homes, assisted living centers and developmentally disabled group homes, all of which normally work directly with NYS DOH.

Additionally, DBCH has been coordinating closely with colleges and school districts for their reopening planning. All of this goes beyond the normal workload of DBCH, which still continues and includes other disease and virus surveillance, such as Lyme disease and other tick-borne illness, as well as annual flu monitoring.

“Our public health team has been working non-stop for more than six months responding to the coronavirus pandemic, and I am exceptionally grateful to all of the extraordinary members of our team whose professionalism and dedication has been inspiring,” said DBCH Commissioner Dr. Anil Vaidian. “These additional Public Health Advisors will be welcome additions to our team and enable us to continue our fight against COVID-19, while ensuring we are also addressing other critical health concerns in our community including overdose prevention, tick-borne disease awareness, and much more.”

Rolls Of The New Public Health Advisors

The grant-funded Public Health Advisors will be responsible for performing investigations and advising on all phases of coronavirus pandemic control efforts. These individuals will be part of DBCH’s Rapid Response Team and take part in case investigation activities including index case and contacts interviews, provide education and public information, assist with data collection and creation of reports and analysis; and stay abreast of new techniques and information that can be locally adapted in the fight against COVID-19.

Interested candidates should have strong knowledge of public health communicable disease investigation as well as current trends relating to emerging techniques and treatment and must have strong interview and communications skills, with positive interpersonal skills to successfully inform and educate individuals and the public at large. Candidates should have the ability to prepare complete and concise reports. Candidates should have education and/or experience in nursing, social work, health education or a health-related field.

For full job descriptions and application information, visit www.dutchessny.gov/jobs. Application deadline is September 11th

How Sales Tax In Beacon Is Collected - By Dutchess County - And Redistributed

As business in Beacon began to increase years ago, with commercial rents and home prices inching up, A Little Beacon Blog grew curious about the sales tax, and if Beacon was benefiting from any increased sales tax. Furthermore, we wondered, how Beacon was benefiting tax-wise from the growing short term rental market from website platforms like Airbnb.

Nick Page, a local resident and Dutchess County Legislator, as well as managerial worker for his family’s commercial and residential property development company, Hudson Todd, LLC, in Beacon, was wondering the same thing. He embarked on a search, and A Little Beacon Blog brought on research assistant Yvonne DeMoss to pursue finding the total sales tax generated for Beacon. Despite following up with numerous offices, we were unable to find the sales tax number. Instead, we are publishing what we have found so far that helps clarify how Beacon earns back the sales tax generated here.

“Surrendering Of Rights Of Preemption With Respect To Sales And Use Tax As A Source Of Revenue”

Decades ago, Beacon, Poughkeepsie, and some other surrounding municipalities, agreed to surrender all sales tax generated in their communities to Dutchess County to manage. Dutchess County is then contracted to pay out a fixed sum from that collection of money, negotiated over the years through different contracts and mayors, back to the municipalities. You can see the contract originally signed between Dutchess County and Beacon (as well as other municipalities) here that started as far back as 1989 and was renewed in 2013 to go through 2022.

How Much Sales Tax Is Generated In Beacon?

When A Little Beacon Blog started this research project last year, we were looking for the total number of sales tax dollars generated in Beacon, so that we could see if the number was going up or down. Instead, we learned that Dutchess County pays Beacon a fixed sum over a scheduled period of time. Once we learned of the flat rate Beacon was paid by Dutchess County, we wanted to see if Beacon was getting a good deal or not, since the flat rate is one that is negotiated. In June 2019, we reached out to Beacon’s City Administrator, Anthony Ruggiero, to see if he knew Beacon’s sales tax total generated in Beacon, as compared with the flat rate Beacon receives, but he did not: “I am sorry, I would not have that information. We believe it is a pretty good deal.”

When A Little Beacon Blog inquired with then Mayor Randy Casale about it also in June 2019, he stated: “I’ve been looking for the number for 4 years!” Randy did indicate that by having a flat rate that does not change, it could put Beacon in a good position of guaranteed income, should it face a slump or dark period as is has before. This makes the annual budget more predictable. New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli said after issuing a sales tax performance report in 2018: “As history has proven, sales tax can be an unpredictable revenue source for our local governments.”

We have confirmed that the Department of Taxation collects the amount of sales tax generated in Beacon, but will not release it, stating that tallying a total dollar figure would be difficult, as online sales gets tricky when items are purchased from a store and shipped out of state.

Jeff McLauchlin, Senior Administrative Analyst for the New York Department of Taxation, explained it this way: “Sales tax vendors collect the tax and remit it to the State Department of Taxation and Finance and the department distributes the revenue. Sales tax in New York is a destination based. One quick example: A business in Beacon sells to a customer online who lives in Saratoga. The sales tax rate is that for Saratoga and the return filed by the business should reflect the breakdown of sales to different jurisdictions properly. Purchasers who aren’t charged the correct rate or no tax at all are still responsible for paying the sales tax.” Saratoga County also collects sales tax for municipalities, but Saratoga City, a tourist destination, collects its own separately. A finance transparency tool can be found here.

Dutchess County Legislature Nick Page submitted a FOIL to the Department of Taxation and Finance in July 2019 in order to get clear numbers, and was told that the answer would take time to process, might be completed in August 2019, would have a fee for printing pages, and was not guaranteed to be approved.

The New York State Comptrollers office also states that they are not apprised of what the incoming dollar figure is, but does track the total amount for payments paid out (aka “distributions) by Dutchess County to each participating municipality. The State Comptroller’s response in May 2019 by way of Katelyn Israelski, with the Office of State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli, was: “Our Local Government and School Accountability division has informed me that OSC doesn't typically monitor monthly or quarterly sales tax distributions by counties, but that data is reported annually by both the county and those local governments receiving funds.”

Katelyn then attached the historical data that they have available for Beacon for Sales Tax Revenue Distributions from Dutchess County. “Unfortunately,” she continued, “we do not have data on the sales tax generated, for which NYS Dept. of Tax and Finance is the primary source.”

The fixed dollar amount that Beacon receives from Dutchess County is as follows, as per the most recent contract through 2022:

The County shall distribute to the Cities of Poughkeepsie and Beacon, collectively, a fixed amount of money from the $25 million dollars referred to in Paragraph 2 above pursuant to Section 1262(c) of the Tax Law. The City of Poughkeepsie shall receive $9,566,212 and the City of Beacon shall receive $4,158,686 subject to the provisions of paragraph 6 below.

Beginning in 2014 and continuing through 2022 the County shall make 21 equal payments of $198,032.66 to Beacon and $455,533,90 to Poughkeepsie with such payments to be made between February 1st and December 31st of each year. Such payments by the County shall be made directly to the Cities on the next business day after receipt of the County's share of the sales tax proceeds from the State Commissioner, by wire to a designated account or by check of the County Commissioner of Finance, at the option of each City.

Beacon will not exercise its right of preemption to impose a local Sales and Use Tax pursuant to Article 29 of the Tax Law of the State of New York to be effective for each year of the term of this agreement as long as the County's Sales and Use Tax remains at no less than 3.75%.

What About Airbnb Tax Revenue?

In terms of taxes collected from Airbnb renters, of which there is a healthy market in Beacon, which was just legalized in June of 2020, Dutchess County again receives the revenue from that tax, known as the Hotel Tax, or in some cases, Bed Tax or Occupancy Tax. Says County Legislature Nick Page: “Airbnb began collecting 4% Bed Tax from Hosts using the Airbnb platform on March 1, 2017. Airbnb remits one payment to the County by the 20th of each month for the preceding month’s activity. The County received $221,918 from Airbnb in 2017. The payments are not broken down by municipality and the County does not have access to the addresses from Airbnb.”

It is unclear at this time if Dutchess County sends a payment to Beacon for a portion of the bookings made in Beacon. According to James Gazzale of the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance, the collection and tracking of the Hotel Tax resides with the county: “This is strictly a local county issue. It’s separate from our regular sales tax. The state authorizes this hotel tax, but the county imposes, administers and collects it. Your best bet is to reach out to the local county Commissioner of Finance.”

Onward! Consider this story ongoing as we learn more about taxes and where they go.

Dutchess County Projects $20-$50 Million Revenue Decline - 41% Comes From Sales Tax - Of Which Beacon Pays In

County Executive Marcus Molinaro released 2020 projections for a severe decrease in revenue to Dutchess County due to the COVID-19 pandemic. According to the release, it “includes a projected sales tax revenue decline of $20-50 million in 2020. Sales tax accounts for 41% of the County’s 2020 budget,” County Executive Molinaro said during his June 10, 2020 online Town Hall. The City of Beacon and other municipalities like Poughkeepsie pay into Dutchess County’s sales tax collection. Beacon does not keep the sales tax generated here, and is instead paid out a distribution of a fixed, negotiated amount from the cumulative sales tax collected across municipalities each year. A Little Beacon Blog conducted research into this, and reported on it here.

According to Molinaro’s statement, 3 of the sales tax payments Dutchess County has received from New York State in 2020, reflecting sales tax revenues since March 1st, have been lower than 2019. You can read about where which municipalities Dutchess County collects sales tax from in New York State, which include Beacon, Poughkeepsie and smaller surrounding municipalities.

Molinaro went on to describe a furlough program for Dutchess County employees: “In the wake of a projected $40-80 million revenue loss, Dutchess County Government has offered its workforce a voluntary furlough program, which 66 employees across various departments have volunteered for, and implemented freezes on hiring and non-essential spending. Funding from New York State accounts for 16% of Dutchess County’s annual budget and Governor Andrew Cuomo has suggested the pandemic may result in as much as a 20% cut in state aid to local counties, resulting in a projected loss of $15-20 million to Dutchess County. County Executive Molinaro continues to advocate for state and federal aid for counties like Dutchess to avoid being forced to eliminate critical services and programs.”

But First, We Break For Cookies. To Refuel.

Cookies. Batches of cookies. And sermons. Then coffee… (maybe…but it’s too hot.) While we are blogging about police brutality, exposures of racism, and racial targeting of black people by the police, the Phase 2 Reopening is happening, which has business friends on Main Street very excited. Chocolate chip cookies are very important fuel for the Phase 2 Reopening Weekend.

A Little Beacon Blog has been updating our Restaurant Guide with new offerings and ways of working for the restaurants. In the works are more outside dining opportunities, that the City of Beacon and Dutchess County have been clearing red tape on to make it easier on restaurants to spread out more safely.

By the way: Kitchen Sink Provisions is live. They have products to help make your weekend meals more Kitchen Sink-y. They also have a number of prepared foods coming online later today (6/11), including their famous brisket grilled cheese.

Weekend meal planning has started.

Places of Worship Can Reopen In Phase 2 at 25% Capacity

As reported by Dutchess Business Notification Network today, A new Executive Order has been signed that allows places of worship to reopen in Phase 2, which starts today (Tuesday, June 9th) at a 25% capacity basis, with social distancing precautions in place.

Guidance on how to clean and disinfect houses of worship can be found HERE. The Executive Order can be found HERE. If you’re not yet a subscriber to Dutchess Business Notification Network, you are missing out! It’s a must-read during a pandemic. When local legislation changes every single day.

County Executive Marcus Molinaro had petitioned for this legislative change, stating in a press release: “Our churches, synagogues, mosques and other houses of faith need to be available for neighbors, leaders and community to come together. The personal interaction that occurs in faith communities can prove invaluable. We fought for this. It is an important step and powerful message at the right moment in New York. It’s an important time to humble ourselves, pray for peace and work for healing.”

In an email sent to Governor Cuomo asking for the change, County Executive Molinaro signed it with this:

“Open the doors to our houses of faith - if only with limited capacity - to help us heal.”

Stay safe. Be well.
We are all in this together.

Marc Molinaro, Dutchess
Steve Neuhaus, Orange
Pat Ryan, Ulster
Ed Day, Rockland
Mary Ellen O’Dell, Putnam

Rob Rolison, Poughkeepsie
Steve Noble, Kingston
Lee Kyriacou, Beacon
Torrance Harvey, Newburgh
Kelly Decker, Port Jervis

Dutchess County Legislator Barbara Jeter-Jackson Has Passed And Is Remembered

Dutchess County Legislator Barbara Jeter-Jackson has passed, Dutchess County announced this (Sunday) morning. Barbara represented District 10 as a Democrat, representing the people of the City of Poughkeepsie.

Dutchess County Executive Marcus Molinaro told the county via press release: “Today we are filled with great sorrow as we mourn the loss of Dutchess County Legislator Barbara Jeter-Jackson. She embodied the very spirit of resilience, dignity and grace. She was unflinching advocate, partner and friend. With a servant’s heart, she led, guided and cared. A mother to many, she made an immeasurable difference in the life of our county, the city she loved and lives she touched. She was a friend, partner in service and in many important ways, mentor. While she is at peace and, as she believed fervently, at home with her God. Corinne and I are heartbroken. We are heartbroken.”

According to an article in the Poughkeepsie Journal, Jeter-Jackson, who was 82, had been sick, and her family had kept the legislature updated on her status, according to Gregg Pulver, the Dutchess County Legislature chairman and a Republican representing District 19. Also reported in the article, Pulver was unaware of the exact cause of death.

Dutchess County Legislator Barbara Jeter-Jackson served on the legislature for 16 years. Prior to that, she served on the City of Poughkeepsie School Board. She served 4 terms on Poughkeepsie’s Common Council. She was a member of:

• Budget, Finance, and Personnel Committee

• Government Services and Administration Committee

• Budget, Finance, and Personnel Sub-Committee to Interview Candidates for Appointments

• Criminal Justice Council

• Justice and Transition Center Advisory Committee

• Local Early Intervention Coordinating Council

• Youth Board & Coordinating Council - Liaison

The Poughkeepsie Journal reported that she did not let politics get in the way of a good idea. “If she liked an idea,” Pulver told the newspaper, “it didn’t matter who put it forward. And if she didn’t like an idea, it didn’t matter who put it forward.”

5/10/2020 Numbers: Beacon On This Day; Dutchess County Changes Reporting Data For Death Counts, Resulting In Increase

On May 7, 2020, Dutchess County announced that they are changing the way they report data for those who have died from COVID-19, as well as several other key data points that include total number of confirmed cases, and total number of tests completed, to be effective on May 8, 2020. They will be using New York State’s numbers. Results via Google’s search results consistently gave a higher count for Dutchess County.

Of the counties that A Little Beacon Blog tracks for these reports - Orange and Putnam - both matched Google results with the number of deceased. Dutchess County’s was always lower: say 36 in Dutchess County’s Tracker vs 70 in Google’s Tracker.

As explained by Dutchess County in their 5/7/2020 announcement of the change:

The New York State Department of Health has authority and oversight over many of the facilities reporting case data, including hospitals and nursing homes. These facilities are not required to report to local health departments, including the Dutchess County Department of Behavioral & Community Health (DBCH). While DBCH does communicate regularly with each of the individual facilities and has been getting some of the data from them, it is difficult to reconcile on a daily basis with the state data and creates confusion for the public. Additionally, State data can include presumed positive cases in fatality numbers, unlike the data reported by local health departments.

DBCH was recently provided access to the New York State Health Emergency Reporting Data System (HERDS), however, the data is reported in the aggregate and does not provide the necessary specificity for county reporting.

Active case data, which are the cases that DBCH are currently monitoring, will continue to be reported by DBCH as well as the breakdown by municipality and number of recoveries...Dutchess County’s COVID-19 Community Impact Data Dashboard will continue to be updated daily, following NYSDOH data updates.

Beacon’s number of Active COVID-19 cases was rising as of 5/10/2020. This last report on 5/10/2020 was at 146. The last time we recorded it in our spreadsheet was 5/4/2020 and the number of active cases was 137. Not a huge difference, but a consistent increase nonetheless.

One might argue: “Well, the number of people tested is going up, so that must be the reason.” And that may be. However, the daily percentage of those who test positive for COVID-19 for the day - of those tested - has remained consistent. We track that number also. The percentage of people who test positive from those tested per day has been at 8%-9% in the last few days. Additionally, the number of tests issued in Dutchess County, according to the tracker, has remained consistent, averaging in the 400s tests given per day.

While some “low-risk” business types can open state-wide in New York on Friday (drive-in movie theaters, landscaping/gardening, tennis) Dutchess County has 3 more criteria to hit before meeting the 7 state requirements to begin reopening, which are:

• 14-Day Decline in Hospital Deaths OR fewer than 5 deaths (3-day average).

• New Hospitalizations (under 2 per 100k residents - 3 day rolling average.

• At least 30 contact tracers per 100k residents.

County Executive Marcus Molinaro has announced, during his 5/11/2020 restarting video, that he will deliver live updates about the data in Dutchess County on Wednesdays and Fridays. This Wednesday, he will host a Town Hall at 5:30pm. Videos are at Facebook, or at at the Dutchess County channel at YouTube.

The last time we published reporting on these numbers was 5/1/2020. This gap of 11 days is for no other reason that Distance Learning started in our home, and while we get into that rhythm of that schooling, finishing articles got a little tricky. We have several unpublished drafts, though!

However, in that time, Dutchess County changed how they are reporting, and New York launched a new regional tracker for the re-opening. So, one must not delay!

Sources:
New York State Tracker: Updated daily.
Dutchess County Tracker: Updated daily, but there could be lags, according to their Source notes.
Orange County Tracker: Updated daily, with the exception of municipality information which is updated every 2-3 days, according to their Source notes.
Putnam County Tracker: Updated daily.
Google via Wikipedia
Testing is limited, which implies that people testing positive for COVID-19 is not total, as many people are not tested.

DUTCHESS COUNTY 5/10/2020

How Many People Tested In Dutchess County:
18,964 (last week 15,558 via New York State Tracker)
How Many People Tested POSITIVE As Of This Day:
3,359 (last week, 3,049, via New York State Tracker)
How Many People Tested This Day:
471 (last week 473, via New York State Tracker)
How Many People Tested POSITIVE This Day:
47 (last week 48, via New York State Tracker)
Number Of People Hospitalized For COVID-19 As Of This Day:
56 (last week 69, via Dutchess County Tracker)
How Many COVID-19 Related Deaths As Of This Day:
101 (last week 38, via Dutchess County Tracker, but Google shows 84 (previous 73)

BEACON
Active COVID-19 Cases In Beacon On This Day:
146 (last week 134, via Dutchess County Tracker)

FISHKILL
Active COVID-19 Cases In Fishkill On This Day:
174 (last week 175, via Dutchess County Tracker)
Active COVID-19 Cases In East Fishkill On This Day:
153 (last week 151, via Dutchess County Tracker)

WAPPINGERS
Active COVID-19 Cases In Town of Wappingers On This Day:
136 (last week 163, via Dutchess County Tracker)
Active COVID-19 Cases In Wappingers Falls Village On This Day:
40 (last week 45, via Dutchess County Tracker)

ORANGE COUNTY 5/10/2020

How Many People Tested In Orange County:
34,404 (last week 28,848, via New York State Tracker)
How Many People Tested POSITIVE In Total:
9,543 (last week 8,910, via New York State Tracker)
How Many People Tested On This Day:
535 (last week 839, via New York State Tracker)
How Many People Tested POSITIVE On This Day:
57 (last week 159, via New York State Tracker)
Number Of People Hospitalized For COVID-19 As Of This Day:
99 (last week 147) (via Orange County Tracker)
How Many COVID-19 Related Deaths As Of This Day:
367 (last week 329, via Orange County Tracker)

NEWBURGH
Active COVID-19 Cases In Newburgh On This Day:
645 (last week 587, via Orange County Tracker)
Active COVID-19 Cases In City of Newburgh On This Day:
1,314 (last week 1,165, via Orange County Tracker)

PUTNAM COUNTY 5/10/2020

Did not grab data in time for this report.

PHILIPSTOWN
Confirmed COVID-19 Cases In Total In Philipstown As Of This Day:

Did not grab data in time for this report.